“It is crucial that inspectors take the following into account during single inspections:

Ofsted does not have a mandate to inspect the quality of EHE.

The statutory duty on LAs to identify as far as possible those children not receiving a suitable education does not extend to home-educated children; LAs do not have a duty to evaluate the quality of the education provided for home educated children – e.g. through routine visits – although they may intervene if it appears that the education is unsuitable.

Home visits may only take place with the consent of the parent, unless there is a safeguarding concern which would justify the use of safeguarding powers to carry out a home visit whatever the child’s mode of education

The guidance does, however, encourage LAs as a matter of good practice to build positive relationships with home educators; this is likely to increase access to educational support for children and parents when they need it and provide a sound basis for responding to any concerns that may arise

The departmental guidelines on EHE explain that LAs should provide accessible, clear written information that sets out the legal position, roles and responsibilities of LAs and parents in relation to EHE. They can provide advice and support services, and may offer a registration facility but this must be voluntary.”

I monitor all Ofsted inspection reports published. The first collection of quotes about home education from June 2015 to January 2016 can be found here. This blog post represents a follow-up. For subsequent reports from January to August 2017 click here.

Wandsworth, 16/2/16, home education not mentioned in report, overall grade Inadequate, OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Slough, 17/2/16, Building positive relationships with families; some choose not to accept support; concerns about children’s welfare referred to children’s social care, overall grade Inadequate,MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Dudley, 5/4/16, Maintains up to date records, overall grade Inadequate,MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Thurrock, 24/5/16, LA criticised for not analysing data on home education (eg numbers going up or down) to respond to trends or inform service development; traffic light system used, overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE

Bromley, 27/6/16, Good understanding of reasons for choosing home education; routine home visits; checks on suitability of education; 16+ get support from targeted youth service, overall grade Inadequate,MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Cornwall, 27/6/16, High number home educated; LA analyses reasons why choose home education; home visits; 16+ outcomes data not collected (also mentioned for South Gloucestershire), overall grade Good, MORE

Southend, 7/7/16, Good at keeping in touch with families; established effective partnerships, overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE

Solihull, 7/7/16, Has developed supportive relationships with parents; assesses quality of the education; takes appropriate action when it doesn’t meet required standard; parents signposted to services and resources, overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE

Stockton on Tees, 5/8/16, home education not mentioned in report, overall grade Good,

Reading, 5/8/16, Maintains comprehensive records; undertakes appropriate safeguarding checks with relevant agencies to establish whether children are known and whether there are any relevant concerns; contacts every family majority respond positively and receive good advice and support through home visits, overall grade Inadequate,MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Greenwich, 5/8/16, Robust procedures for assessing suitability of home education; children checked against social care database; cases known to social care have risk factors reviewed by social work manager and home education officer; assessment of appropriate education; willing to act when education is unsuitable eg issuing school attendance orders, overall grade Good,MORE

Telford and Wrekin, 26/8/16, Good support to families and maintain good contact, overall grade Requires Improvement,MORE

Ealing, 26/8/16, Children missing education team scrutinises data about children being removed from school for home education; families encouraged to cooperate with health and safeguarding procedures; initial home visit; swift action following concerns, overall grade Good,MORE

Hackney, 21/1/16, LA robustly monitors referrals for elective home education; constantly push boundaries of their statutory authority to ensure children have the education they need, overall grade Good, MORE

Wakefield, 20/9/16, Comprehensive systems in place for tracking and monitoring number of home educated children; support children in returning to school, overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE

Wirral, 20/9/16, Families can access support; LA has procedures to check on welfare and education; concerns quickly escalated to right agencies for appropriate further action (eg child in need/child protection plan), overall grade Inadequate, MOREOFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Kirklees, 25/11/16, Local Safeguarding Children Board recognised the need to improve its oversight of children missing education of children who are home educated and of unregulated schools, overall grade Inadequate, MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Birmingham, 25/11/16, Home education data now secure (improvement since previous monitoring visit); Numbers analysed to identify trends and concerns; schools complete referral forms for children identified as at risk; LA working with families to increase provision and raise awareness of safeguarding issues, overall grade Inadequate, MOREOFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Redbridge, 25/11/16, Good arrangements for support, LA registers home educating families so they can offer to visit, overall grade Good, MORE

Milton Keynes, 25/11/16, Recent improvements in tracking and monitoring children missing education and home educated; CME team challenges school and parents cutting number of home educated; annual visits; home educated not attending unregistered schools overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE

Tameside, 9/12/16, Effective work to engage home educating families; home visits to assess suitability of education; positive example in one case of brokering work experience and CAMHS support, overall grade Inadequate, MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS